Cuff link



E. BAYARD March 211, 11950 CUFF LINK Filed May 11, 1946 INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 21, 1950 STAT UNETED i ATENT OFFIC 2 Claims.

1 This invention relates generally to sleeve buttons or cuff links ofthe type including a shank having a head or base mounted at one end andan elongate or bar-like head pivotally mounted at the other end andadapted to be manually swung either into substantial alinement with theshank or perpendicular to said shank so that the pivoted head and shankfirst can be inserted in aline ment with each other through abutton-hole and said pivoted head can then be automatically swungperpendicularly to the shank to normal closed position to hold thelatter against slipping out of the button hole.

In cuff links of this general character, means are provided for holdingor looking the pivoted head in moved position in substantiallongitudinal alinement with or in the plane of the shank in order tofacilitate introduction of the link into the button-hole after which thepivoted head must be manually restored to perpendicular position. Thisnecessity for manual operation is objectionable because if the userforgets to manually restore the pivoted head to closed position, thelink is liable to slip out of the buttonhole. Furthermore, the pivotedhead is liable to be accidentally moved to such aligned position withthe shank without the knowledge of the wearer and will be held in suchposition by the holding means and is liable to slip through thebutton-hole.

In the known constructions, the pivoted head is usually selectivelymovable into two positions at right angles to each other and held in itsselected position by at least two springs. These constructions haveaccordingly been heavy and expensive.

A prime object therefore of my invention is to provide a cuff link ofthe general character described Which shall embody novel and improvedfeatures of construction and avoid all of the above-mentioneddifiiculties and disadvantages and objections of the knownconstructions.

Another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive cuff link thatshall embody a novel and improved construction for automaticallyrestoring the pivoted head of the link to perpendicular position andthereby prevent the link from slipping through the button-hole.

A specific object is to provide a single spring for automatically movingthe pivoted head, which spring is strong and durable and highlyefiicient in action.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will appear fromthe following descrip- 2 tion when read in conjunction with the acoompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a side elevational view of, a cufilink embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the pivoted head, shankand fixed head.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view and partial section.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the spring.

Specifically describing the invention, the cuil link is of generallyknown construction including a shank A having a bar-like or elongatehead 13 pivotally mounted at one end thereof and a fixed head Cconnected rigidly to the opposite end of the shank.

As shown the pivoted head B is preferably tubular and formed of onepiece of thin metal, with transversely aligned pivot openings l disposedintermediate the ends of the tube. The tube may be of any desirablecross-sectional shape, but preferably is circular, and the ends of thetube may carry suitable tapered closure members 2 preferably formed ofthe same material as the tube but may be formed of colored stones orother ornaments and secured in the ends of the tube in any suitablemanner.

The fixed head C is in the form of a rectangular-shaped plate with abeveled edge 3 to enhance its appearance.

In accordance with the invention, the shank A is U-shaped or looped andformed of one-piece of fiat metal or wire. The shank has an integralbase or lower end portion 4 of substantially inverted U-shape suitablyfastened to the fixed head C, and upstanding arms 5 at opposite sides ofthe head B and in juxtaposed spaced relation to each other in a commonplane so that the ends of the head B may swing into a position betweenthe arms 5 and in substantial longitudinal alignment with or in theplane of the shank. The upper free ends of the arms have openings 6 forreceiving a pivot pin which extends through the pivot openings of thehead B. The pin is preferably square in cross-section where it passesthrough the tubular head but circular for the remainder of its lengthwith its ends suitably secured to the outside of the arms. Each armpreferably is of a length substantially less than twice the greater ofthe distances between the pivot pin 1 and the respective ends of thehead B so that the shank shall be conveniently short and when the linkis in use the arms will be located in the button-hole to restrainrotation of the link in the buttonhole.-

An important feature of the invention is the spring mechanism forholding the pivoted head selectively perpendicular to the shank and forautomatically restoring said head to such perpendicular position afterit has been manually or accidentally moved out of such position. Thismechanism as shown comprises a helical coil spring 3 positioned aroundthe pivot pin I inside of the tubular head B, one of the convolutions ofthe spring intermediate its ends being deformed into semi-circular shapeand providing a transverse portion 9 which extends diametrically acrossthe coil and is seated in the end of a slot It formed lengthwise of thepivot pin I through one end thereof thereby holding the spring againstbodily rotation on or into interlocked relation to said pivot pin andwithin thetube. The end coils of the spring are straightened out to formfree ends I I and I2. When the spring is in position on the pin, thefree end II thereof extends to one side of the axis of the pivot pin andalong one side of said tube impinging against the inner wall thereof,and the other free end E2 extending to the other side of the pivot pinand impinging against the inner wall of the tube as shown in Figure 1.The spring is thus so arranged that its free ends I I and I2 normallyurge the pivoted head to a perpendicular position as shown in Figure 1.If the pivoted head is manually or accidentally tilted clockwise asviewed in Figure 1 to vertical position, it will be against the actionof the spring and when pressure is released the free end II willautomatically restore the head to horizontal position. Likewise when thehead is tilted anti-clockwise and pressure is released the free end I2of the spring will automatically restore the head to normal horizontalposition. It will thus be seen that the pivoted head is only held by thespring in the horizontal position perpendicular to the shank. t never islocked in the vertical or aligned position with the shank.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that I have designed a cuff linkthat is simple and rugged in construction, highly efiicient in use andwith safety features that reduces to a minimum the chances of itsaccidentally slipping out of the button-hole.

What I claim is:

1. A cuff link comprising a fixed head, a shank having two upright armsfixed on said head, a pivot pin supported between said arms, a tubularhead pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said pin between saidarms, and a helical coil spring inside said tubular head on and coaxialwith said pivot pin and having one of its convolutions interlocked withsaid pivot pin, the end portions of said spring extending in oppositedirections and pressing against said tubular head at opposite sides ofsaid pivot pin for continuously urging said tubular head into a positionperpendicular to said shank.

2. A cufi link comprising a fixed head, a shank having two upright armsfixed on said head, a pivot pin supported between said arms and having alongitudinal slot opening through one end thereof, a tubular headpivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said pin between said arms,and a helical coil spring inside said tubular head on and coaxial withsaid pivot pin and having one of its convolutions deformed with aportion thereof extending diametrically of said coil spring and seatedin said slot, thereby to hold said spring against bodily rotation onsaid pivot pin, the end portions of said spring pressing in oppositedirections against the tubular head at opposite sides of said pivot pinfor continuously urging said tubular head into a position perpendicularto said shank.

ETTORE BAYARDI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 32,816 Arnold July 16, 1861.1,373,188 Goewey Mar. 29, 1921 1,656,409 Zifierer Jan. 1'7, 19281,841,563 Williams Jan. 19, 1932 2,093,723 Hone Sept. 21, 1937 2,396,668Anderson Mar. 19, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 25,595 GreatBritain 1902

